


Mischief and Instinct

by ScribbleWriting65



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 01:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15785838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribbleWriting65/pseuds/ScribbleWriting65
Summary: Life doesn't always go as planned, and that can yield incredible results, which deserve celebration.





	1. Beauty in Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! Here is my completed Midlink piece, Mischief and Instinct! The biggest flaw that I could possibly see is that the pacing can feel weird, but I'm not sure. Hope you enjoy!

“Shadow and Light are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other.”

Midna was glad she heeded these words when she, Zelda, and Link stood at the Mirror of Twilight. They were what stopped her from shattering the mirror, what dislodged her belief that splitting the two worlds would be beneficial.

That, and she couldn’t live with herself if she left her loyal companion, now husband, behind to wallow in his misery.

Their relationship wasn’t always so friendly. At first, she was insulting, treating him like nothing more than a pet, and constantly reminding the silent wolf-man that she was his master, and he was her slave. Link took it in stride without a word, though a few growls did escape his canine teeth when they started working together. ‘All animals need to be broke in,’ Midna thought, believing that his hesitance would leave in a short time; leaving only her dominant role over her puppet.

However, her plans were derailed. Instead, she found herself being amused by his antics, whether it be saving a stray animal or softly petting Epona. Soon the amusement evolved into genuine affection, romantic feelings truly increasing when Link and Zelda saved her from light poisoning. While that may have been the most painful experience in her life, her soul standing at death’s door, she also looked back at the moment with great gratitude.

Zelda sacrificing herself for her, along with Link still willing to help her, only propelled Midna’s feelings into certainty. From then on, she learned to appreciate everything she could about her companion, along with support from Zelda within her soul. His combat skills, natural strength, and determination all got silent admiration from the imp, with any that wasn’t silent coming out as a humorous jab with not nearly as much sarcasm as before Zelda’s sacrifice.

The biggest trait that won Midna over in her feelings for Link was his kindness and love for life. He always treated others with respect, bowing before royalty, helping civilians with their troubles (that Agitha girl was… interesting), and even giving smiles to Midna, speaking with his eyes and expressions when around strangers, but with a small but strong voice when they were alone. He never once gave up on Midna, even when she blatantly screamed insults in his face, or broke down from the overwhelming burden on her shoulders of saving her people.

Even when she tried to play off her flaws with wit, Link simply sat, watching her with rapt attention, offering whatever he could for comfort, whether it be a knowing look, some words of wisdom that sounded out of place from the mouth of a simple ranch hand, or even a hug of support during the later points of their journey. All she could do during those times was stay still, let out her emotions, and embrace the warmth and love that Link radiated.

Despite all of this, it took a while for Midna to express her feelings to Link. It happened after they had received the final shard of the Mirror of Twilight. The Mirror had activated, and it was just her and Link in the coliseum that worked as both Ganondorf’s execution chamber and the resting place of the Mirror. Midna didn’t know what was in store for them beyond the Mirror, so she decided that then was a better time than never.

Link was just about to start walking to the portal when Midna stopped him.

“Hey, Link?”  
“What is it Midna?” He asked in his enticingly soft voice.  
She looked down at the ground, too embarrassed to look at his face. “Before we go through the portal and whatever hell waits for us from Zant on the other side, I just wanted to…”

She lifted her head to look up at Link, but swiftly brought it down again, knowing that Link had seen the blue-green blush that had inflamed her cheeks. He simply stood there with subtle curiosity on his face, willing to let Midna speak her mind when she was ready.

“I just want you to know that… I really care about you, and I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass when we first met. I just- “

She stopped dead, losing her train of thought as Link walked up to her and gave her a tight hug. All she could do was stay still as Link looked at her with a loving smile on his face. No words were needed after all this time, Midna reading his eyes perfectly, seeing that they held nothing but forgiveness and admiration for her. He slowly moved his lips toward hers, giving Midna the chance to back away if she wanted to.

She didn’t, and soon their lips met, tears of gratitude and happiness slowly falling from her eyes. Midna closed her eyes and brought her hands to his cheeks, Link keeping his left hand on her back, moving his right to cradle her head. At that moment, nothing else mattered, the possibility of death escaping both of their minds, being replaced by the sheer joy, love, and passion in this moment.

Link slowly pulled back, opened his eyes and gave Midna the softest but most love-filled smile she had ever seen on his face.

“Does that help you at all?” He said with a subtle grin.  
She looked at him like a deer looking at a hunter, quickly shifting her face into one of her trademark smirks.  
“You’ve been holding out on me, huh Wolf Boy?”  
“No, just waiting for the right time to do so, and it felt like now or never.”  
“You idiot.” She said with a small chuckle. Link kissed her again, and Midna completely reciprocated.  
“I care about you too Midna. Thank you.”

A shocked look took over her smirk. “Why the hell are you thanking me? I treated you like a piece of shit. A slave. A dog.”  
“Yes, you did, but you were afraid for your people and world, like I was for mine.”  
“I’m really sorry, Link. I don’t deserve your kindness.”  
“You do, Midna,” Link said as he hugged her again, “you only left your people so that you could help them. You asked both me and Zelda for help, even at the cost of your own pride. You’ve helped me through being a wolf, and stuck by me when I was at my lowest point. And for that, I can never thank you enough.”

Midna floated still in Link’s grasp, fresh tears of regret pouring down her face, releasing all the new emotions that flooded her mind. She now knew in her heart that no one in both the worlds would love her like Link did, which only made the reality that she would break the mirror when they stopped Zant all the harder to swallow.

However, it was what had to be done. With that conviction in mind, she simply dried off her tears, thanked Link again, and moved with him into the portal, returning home for their final battle.

Zant was a formidable foe, as was Ganon, and Midna’s sacrifice was tough for both of them, but victory was achieved as the sun set. The new twilight framed Midna’s true form for Link’s eyes to witness like the aura that surrounded the Goddesses themselves.

“What? Say something! Am I so beautiful that you’ve no words left?” She said with a soft smile on her lips.

All he could do was run up to her and give her a tight hug, eyes spilling tears of relief at seeing his partner alive, and awe at her true beauty. Midna simply smirked, giving him a hug with tears of her own joining his as they truly felt the joy of victory and love of each other. 

Aside from the tears, Link laughed just loud enough for only Midna to hear, because she was right. No words would do her justice, and Link wouldn’t have it any other way.


	2. Preparations and Admirations

Midna awoke from her sleep, the familiar feeling of Link’s arm around her waist and the sound of his soft snores only solidifying the terrific reality of her recollection. She dreamed about their adventure often, sometimes it had joy, other times it had terrible alternative outcomes. Both her and Link suffered from nightmares, but they knew that as long as they had each other, the nightmares wouldn’t be much trouble.

“Good morning, Wolf Boy.” She said with a soft smile.

Link stirred, opening one of his dark blue eyes halfway in what could only be described as an expression of “5 more minutes.” Midna smiled at his expression, understanding the deadly charm of sleeping in a bit longer, but knowing that they slept long enough, and needed to get started on the day.

She gave him a soft kiss on the forehead and rose from the bed, walking into the washroom to freshen herself up. Link slowly rose after Midna left, finding his clothes in the nearby dresser. Being the new Twilight King came with a royal set of clothes, modeled after his Hero outfit, even the optional hat, but infused with Twilight designs and magic. He had come to embrace their culture and would be forever grateful to the goddesses for giving him the chance to spend his life with such an incredible woman.

As he grabbed his garments, Link let his mind wander, briefly remembering that they were traveling to the light world today to meet with Zelda. She wanted to discuss plans for a celebration of their cultures and union as allies. He smiled fondly at the thought, as they would be staying in the light world for a few days, giving both him and Midna a chance to travel around Hyrule to see all the people they helped, with Hyrule Castle being their first stop, and making brief visits to other regions during their stay.

It had been a year since Ganon’s defeat, and in that time, Hyrule had begun to prosper. Zelda and Mayor Bo both wrote to Link and Midna constantly with updates on Hyrule. Castle Town was rebuilt, the castle itself doing a nearly complete replacement of guards and soldiers after Zelda heard Link’s account of their atrocious cowardice when helping Telma. Ordon Village and the surrounding forest blossomed with new life. The forest grew new plants, bringing back animals that had fled from the Twilight corruption. The village was also growing, a few families moving into the village. The ranch prospered, and the residents were doing well. 

Letters from the other settlements around the country weren’t as frequent, but still showed signs of progress. Kakariko Village was growing the most of all settlements, already booming with new residents and businesses. The Goron people reopened the mines, opening new avenues of trade with Kakariko and Castle Town. The Zoras fully embraced Ralis as their king, quickly rebuilding their relations to the other parts of Hyrule, offering fresh fish and aquatic plants, that could act as both spices and remedies, for trade.

“You ready to go Link?” Midna’s voice snapped Link out of his reverie. He turned to look at her and blushed at what he saw. She wore her traditional robe, similar to the one she wore when the imp curse was broken. Her left leg was surrounded by a long cloth that hung around her waist, but her right leg was bare, the twilight designs softly glowing. A long robe fell from her head to her calves, covering her upper arms and shoulders, and held by her silver crown.

The top of it resembled a bow, the string going through her robe, keeping it on her head. The sides had small white stones in them. All of this paled in comparison to the main focus of the crown that was on Midna’s forehead, holding something that Link would never miss in his admiration. The crown was an intricate design with intersecting pieces of silver, with a special stone in the center.

It was none other than a Shadow Crystal, just like the one Link had used on his adventure, which was now fused onto his forehead. The process was painful, especially for Midna to watch, but the result was more than worth it. When the procedure ended, Link had automatically transformed into his wolf body, but his eyes held nothing but love, even as Midna’s were uncertain. 

Said uncertainty quickly made way for joy as Link transformed back into his Hylian body before her eyes, without her assistance or the Master Sword, which Link had returned to its resting place once he settled into his new Twilight home. The stone rested comfortably in his skin, giving faint glows of light, both in the orange streaks on the Crystal itself, and in the light blue marks on his skin surrounding the item. The stones held even greater significance, being symbols of Link and Midna’s marriage, and personal reminders of what they went through to get where they were.

Her fire colored hair rolled down her shoulders, the ends being held at her chest by a band resembling the one she had as an imp. He never failed to be stunned by the sharpness in her red eyes, only increased by her trademark black robe and pale turquoise skin.

“Are you going to finish getting ready, or are you gonna stare and drool all day?” Midna said, snapping Link out of his daze. He scratched the back of his head, making Midna laugh. He still flustered when caught staring at and admiring her body, and she loved it, having such control over, and admiration from, the man who changed her life and outlook, even after being together for so long. It also felt nice to be alone in this aspect, as she also stared at him, except she stared unabashedly, even smirking whenever Link caught her.

He walked over to the washroom, kissing Midna as he walked by, and washed himself up. Upon stepping out, he found Midna packing papers of various lengths together, then sending them into her shadow. Midna had told Link before that she used his shadow to store any items he wasn’t using on his adventure, and he marveled at the ingenuity of Twilight magic. 

“Aren’t we only discussing party plans with Zelda? I don’t think we need any statements with us this time.”

“It may only be a party, but you know politicians, always asking for favors. Besides, you’re one to talk, mister Carry-a-Sword-Everywhere.” Midna laughed. Link blushed yet again because of her accuracy. Even as they talked, he was adjusting the belts as he finished putting his sword on his back. It was a near perfect replica of the Master Sword, except the hilt and handle had Twili designs on them. It was Midna’s wedding gift to him, and apparently, Zelda had helped in crafting it, by Midna’s testimony.

“What can I say,” he said walking over to Midna with a smile, “The craftsman, or women, in this case, did an excellent job.”

“Once a dog, always a dog.” Midna laughed, capturing Link’s lips in a kiss.

Link simply reciprocated with a smile on his face. Joking was always fun with Midna. She was the one who helped get him out of his Hero shell, and he helped her to drop her mask of aggression. Having fun like this was simply one of their many ways of thanking and loving each other.

Link pulled back, returning to his pack to finish preparing their food for the road. 

“We’re teleporting straight to the castle Link, we don’t need snacks.” Midna said with a laugh.

Link looked back with a feigned pout on his face, which quickly turned into a soft smile. “Why don’t we just teleport near the castle so that we can still walk a bit. You know that we’re not going to be moving around for at least a while once we get there.”

Midna simply chuckled, knowing that Link would rather be moving around doing work than sitting in a meeting, even if it was for a party. But she knew that Link had gotten used to it from his time as Twilight King.

“Fine, we can stop a short walk away so you can give your paws a workout, Wolf Boy.”  
“Thanks, Midna. Now, are you ready?”  
“Yep. Let’s do this!” Midna laughed as she teleported them from the palace.


	3. Her Royal Highness, the Party Planner

The couple landed just outside of Castle Town’s walls. Even though the town and castle itself had both been restored, neither of them could look at the place without a subtle shudder, remembering Zant’s barrier around the castle and explosion from their battle with Ganon like it was yesterday. The memory quickly faded, being replaced with eagerness in seeing Zelda again. 

Link shifted into his wolf form, stretching out his paws with a yawn as he quickly awoke his new muscles. Midna looked at him with fondness and mischief, remembering the times that she rode on his back as an imp. 

“Ready to go?” She asked with a slightly teasing tone. Link looked up at her and gave a nod of confirmation, and the two set off.

A calm rush of wind blew past them as they walked, the late morning sun shining brightly on their backs. Midna would always prefer the cooler feel of Twilight air on her body, but she had come to appreciate the sun for its unique quality. As they walked through the town square, people stopped to watch the two foreign royals with awe. Link preferred to have been kept anonymous from Zelda’s retelling of the Twilight Invasion, but he did like not having people run away the instant they saw his wolf form. Midna didn’t care all that much about the stares, staying focused on the task at hand while sneaking subtle glances at her canine companion.

They arrived at the gates separating the town from the castle. Link gave a bark of greetings, making the guards jump at the sudden noise, but quickly salute and allow the two passage upon recognition. Midna laughed as they walked past and out of earshot, giving Link a complimentary smirk. The two quickly made their way to the throne room, giving the guards simple bows.

“We are here to speak with Queen Zelda.” Midna said with a formal tone. Link simply sat and looked at the guards, growing used to Midna’s dynamic ranges in speech. 

“Of course, Queen Midna. This way, please.” The guards opened the doors to the throne room, closing the door quietly once Link and Midna passed through. The room fell silent, the two Twili royals approaching the ruler of the Hylians.

Zelda sat on her throne, looking over an update to the castle kitchen’s inventory. Ever since the Twilight Invasion, she had been hard at work in restoring the kingdom to its former glory, and her efforts paid off. She had been Midna’s maid of honor at hers and Link’s wedding, where the Twili people were also formally introduced to her.

Link barked, making Zelda softly jump and look up at her visitors, the taller one holding in laughter, and the canine sitting with a happy smile on his face. With her attention gained, Link decided to change back into his Hylian form, taking Midna’s hand as they respectfully bowed to Zelda.

“Link, Midna, it’s good to see you again.” Zelda greeted with a smile. “Please rise, we are friends. Formality is not necessary with you two when it's only us, as you have clearly exercised already.”  
“You are correct, Your Grace.” Midna said with a chuckle, giving Link a quick kiss on the cheek.  
“Hello, Your Highness.” Link said.  
“Hello, Link. How is life faring for you two?”

“Eh, same old, same old. Kingdom’s doing fine, especially with this guy by my side.” Midna said with a dismissive wave of her hand and a smile on her face. Zelda had grown quite used to Midna’s mannerisms over time, admiring her strength and character, being a humble but strong ruler, yet not restricting herself to constant formal behavior.

“That is good to hear. Shall we move to my study to discuss the plans for tonight?”  
“That would be great, thank you.” Link answered contentedly.  
“Very well,” Zelda said with a smile, “We can discuss tonight’s agenda over tea and snacks.”

They walked through the large halls, greeting guards and passerby with simple head bows and hellos as they went. While some were jarred by the Crystal in Link’s forehead, he simply smiled at them, and their worry went away. It took time for people to get used to the object on his head, but now it was rare to see someone hold onto surprise upon seeing it for any longer than a moment. 

The three royals walked into the study, Link closing the door behind him. There were two couches on either side of a long wooden table. Link and Midna sat in one, and Zelda sat in the other. Link and Midna held hands, and Zelda couldn’t help but smile, turning into a chuckle when Midna went in to kiss Link. Link saw this coming, and couldn’t help but turn his head so that they were kissing on the lips. Midna was surprised by this, by reciprocated with everything she had.

“Ahem.” Zelda choked in laughter, causing Midna and Link to split and look in other directions. They still held hands, blushes burning both their cheeks. Zelda wasn’t courting anyone at the time, her priority being the kingdom’s wellbeing, but seeing Link and Midna so happy together made her hopeful that’d she’d find her own love someday.

“Now, shall we get started?” She said calmly. Link and Midna nodded, allowing Zelda to pull out a list of items and plans for the party that evening. 

Link and Midna examined the ideas carefully, offering insight on what could be added or improved. Inclusion was the top priority, as both cultures would be equally represented and celebrated. Zelda had some great ideas, including having music from both cultures performed. Midna laughed at the music idea, Link giving her an inquisitive glance.

“People would be mighty entertained with your howls, Wolf Boy. I certainly have been.” Midna snickered. Link blushed, and Zelda gave him a curious look of her own.

“He likes to sing in howls.”  
“Its what I used to reach the Hero’s Shade! And it feels, n-nice.”  
“And you sound nice when you howl.”  
Link simply blushed harder, Midna releasing a roar of laughter, Zelda giving small giggles of her own.  
“I didn’t know you could sing Link. I think it would be a wonderful idea for you to sing something.”  
“I-I’ll think about it.”

“Excellent. And with that, I believe we have everything we need for the party tonight. Will you be able to get what you need from your people, Midna?”  
“Consider it done, Zelda.”  
“Good. I will see you both then.” The three stood up and exchanged hugs. Link and Midna leaving Zelda with waves.

“Where should we go next? We still have plenty of time before the party, and I sent messages to the Twili as soon as we left.” Midna asked Link.  
“How about Ordon? It’s been a while, and the village has grown since we last visited.”  
“Sure, Link.” Midna said with a smile.


	4. Invitations

They walked across the bridge into the village, already laughing at the group of children coming their way. Link embraced them in a group hug, and Midna gave simple hellos. As they approached the center of the village, the improvements from the letters were made clear, even for their small size. Two new houses had been built, big enough to accommodate families of 3 or 4, by Link’s estimation. Aside from the new houses, the village was the same, with its lake in the back, ranch at the edge, and older homes still standing strong.

The children trailed behind Link and Midna, who were greeted by residents as they looked up from their work and activities. Midna was welcomed completely by the village, being acknowledged as a resident by Mayor Bo himself. The couple made their way to Bo’s house, Link receiving a bone-cracking hug from the man, despite his old age, and Midna receiving a humble bow, which she returned.

“So, what brings you two to the village this time?” Bo asked as he let them into his house. Ilia was inside, cleaning dishes from a recent meal.  
“Not too much, Bo. Just giving you an invitation to the party that’s being held at Zelda’s castle tonight.” Link responded with a smile.

“A party!? At Queen Zelda’s castle?!” Ilia nearly yelled, stopping what she was doing to look at Link with wide eyes. Link simply smiled at her, giving a small wave at his sister figure. She walked to his side and gave him a hug, which he reciprocated. Ilia also hugged Midna in greeting, which Midna returned.

“That’s a big deal Link. We’d be honored to go.” Bo responded proudly. He may lead a simple village, but Bo still cared greatly about relations with the other people of Hyrule.  
“Great!”  
“We look forward to it. Link, would you be able to go to the ranch and help Fado with the goats? They got loose again.” Bo said with an exaggerated sigh.

Link accepted and went on his way to help the ranch hand. It was always fun for him to work with the goats, especially with Epona or his wolf form. Link found Fado trying to corral the goats, struggling to keep them from scattering and possibly escaping beyond the fence.

“Hey, Fado!” Link yelled. Fado looked back, an expression of relief forming on his face as his friend approached.  
“Hey Link! You came at a great time, the goats got out again.” Fado hung his head.  
“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Link said putting his hand on Fado’s shoulder, “I’ve got this.”

Link crossed into the fenced area. The goats simply looked at him before going back to their own business. Link transformed into the wolf, catching Fado by surprise, and ran at the goats, barking. The goats quickly scattered every which way, Link giving quick pursuit, corralling them into the pen with barks and running at them. It didn’t take long for the goats to be back where they belonged, and Link appreciated the workout. He turned back into a Hylian, Fado quickly hiding his shocked expression.

“Thanks for helping me Link. I can never get used to that transformation.”  
“You’re welcome, Fado. Don’t worry about the wolf thing, I don’t mind.”

Link returned to Mayor Bo’s house, finding Midna and Ilia having a chat about the happenings since Link got married. Link always blushed at Midna’s descriptions of him and his actions, which Midna always got a kick out of. Midna excused herself to talk to Bo, giving Link and Ilia time to talk, which they did at the spring nearby, where Link’s adventure truly began.

“Is it still surprising that you’re a king?” Ilia asked with a hint of excitement.  
“It’ll always be a bit surprising that I’m where I’m at, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  
“Dad wants me to marry soon and take over leading the village, but,” she sighed. “I feel like I could do more for the world, after what happened with me losing my memory.”  
Link put his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, I get it. I still get restless from my time traveling around Hyrule every once in a while. Don’t worry Ilia,” he said with a smile, “You’ll be great at whatever you do.”

“Easy for you to say,” Ilia responded with a slightly choked throat, “You saved the world, and are royalty now. I’m just a ranch girl.”  
“Ilia. You are not just another farm girl. You have plenty of strength. You’re always watching out for the kids, and helped Ralis, even when you lost your memory. Even I felt hopeless during my adventure, but you and Midna helped me get through it.”  
“Thank you Link,” Ilia said, “you’re lucky to have someone like Midna in your life. You better not let her go.”  
Link gave her a hug and a small laugh. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t give Midna up for anything.”

Link transformed into the wolf, putting his head on Ilia’s hand. She simply laughed and continued to pet him, fascinated at his ability, and thankful for having such a great brother figure in her life. They walked back to see Midna settling details on the party with Bo before giving a wave goodbye, smiling upon seeing their approach.

“Everything’s settled. Ready to go, love?” Midna asked.

Link barked in confirmation, giving Ilia a parting lick, and walking over to Midna’s side. Ilia simply waved as they vanished to their next destination before returning to her house.

The other regions also yielded similar results. Ralis accepted and started preparing right away, Zora servants guiding and watching over Midna and Link as they took a break from delivering invitations and enjoyed a swim. Darbus was thrilled to receive an invitation, nearly crushing Link in a hug of gratitude. The Gorons were always excited to have fun with others, so their preparations were already being started when Link and Midna warped away. Renado humbly accepted the invitation, thanking Link and Midna for the opportunity. Telma and the Resistance were ecstatic to be invited to the party, Telma giving him a tight hug and free round of milk, as Link avoided drinking.

Link and Midna returned to Zelda’s study, finding her clarifying final details for the party. 

“Hello Zelda.” Link said. “We extended invitations to the provinces. All have accepted.”  
“That’s great to hear, thank you both. I was just finishing the last touches for the party, so we’re all set.”  
“Alright! Time to party!” Midna cheered. Link laughed at her celebration, always enjoying his wife’s more carefree and fun side.


	5. Celebration

Link was in his and Midna’s rented chamber of the castle, putting on his attire for the evening. He wore his Twili robe with a black cape that had turquoise markings all over it, invoking a design similar to the Twilight Portals. It flowed down to his calves, being held by silver pauldrons on his shoulders. His tunic was slightly lighter in color than the cape, and had a golden Goddess crest near his neck, an homage to his Hylian heritage. He also wore gauntlets similar to those worn on his journey that had been engraved with Twili designs; giving the appearance of veins on his arm. With everything assembled correctly, he was ready for the party.

“Are you ready Midna? Zelda will be expecting us shortly.” Link asked.  
“Sure Link, just need an opinion on something from you.” Midna responded with subtle mischief in her voice.  
“Sure thing Midna,” He replied, “what do you n- “

The words that were on his tongue fell out as his jaw dropped at what appeared before him, and his cheeks burned hotter than the fires of Death Mountain. Midna always looked beautiful in his eyes, but now she was gorgeous, and even that didn’t do her justice.

She had removed her hood, letting her flame-colored hair roll down to the middle of her back. Her dress was pure black and extended to just above her ankle, with light blue Twili designs spanning the whole garment, highlighting the bottom of the dress and her torso. The skirt itself didn’t extend too wide from Midna’s body, which was complemented by the dress itself, as it left her shoulders bare. She spun a few times, the flowing dress’ motion creating a special effect reminiscent of the specks that appeared and disappeared in the Twilight Realm, and revealing that the dress dipped in the back, showing more skin than in the front.

“I take it you like this, Wolf Boy?” Midna laughed, snapping Link from his daze. He walked over to her, staring into her red eyes that knew what his reaction would be. He kissed her with ferocity, and Midna reciprocated wholeheartedly.

“Every time I think you can’t be any more beautiful, you prove me wrong.” Link whispered in awe. “You get a laugh out of doing that, don’t you?”  
“You caught me. Guilty as charged.” Midna snickered. “You don’t look too bad yourself, handsome.” 

Link simply blushed and took Midna’s hand. She warped them to the castle’s main hall, which was empty of people, as Zelda had asked Link and Midna to arrive early for any final preparations. They walked to the ballroom, marveling at what Zelda had put together. A glass chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the nearby pillars held lights similar to the Sols found in the Twilight Realm. There was a banquet being prepared at one of the room’s walls, which Link eyed with a lick of his lips. The two walked over to Zelda, who was looking over the music to be played at the event.

“Hello again, Zelda.” Midna greeted.  
“Hello, Link and Midna. Both of you look wonderful. Thank you for extending the invitations.”  
“It was no trouble, Your Grace.” Link bowed.  
“Excellent. I was just finishing final touches to the music that would be performed. Would you be willing to look over this for authenticity Midna?” Zelda handed Midna the sheets of music. Midna looked over them quickly but imagined the music playing in her head. She gave them back to Zelda with a nod and smile, giving Zelda all the confirmation she needed.

“Thank you. Now, shall we ready ourselves for the guests?”  
“Absolutely.” Link and Midna replied simultaneously, looking at each other before laughing while Zelda simply smiled.

People arrived shortly after, greeting all three royals with handshakes and hellos. Bo and Ilia were the first of Link and Midna’s friends to arrive, Mayor Bo wearing a simple gray suit, and Ilia wearing a sky-blue dress that went down halfway past her knee and ankle. Bo and Ilia both gave Link hugs before they walked into the ballroom. Ralis arrived soon after them, greeting the royals with a bow before joining the crowd. Renado arrived with his daughter Luda, both wearing simple brown outfits, greeting Link with handshakes and thanks for what he did for the kingdom, which Link humbly accepted. Darbus arrived last, nearly crushing Link’s hand with his handshake and knocking the wind out of him with a pat on the back, while Midna and Zelda laughed. 

When the last of the guests arrived, Link, Midna, and Zelda walked to the front of the room, gathering everyone’s attention for a speech.

“People of Hyrule,” Zelda began, “as you know, our country was invaded one year ago by Zant, a man who wanted to drown both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm in pure darkness. Fortunately, he was stopped by these two brave heroes: Link, the Hero of Twilight, and Midna, the rightful ruler and Twilight Queen.”

“Your words are true, Your Grace,” Midna continued, “I was overthrown by the malicious Zant, who was a puppet for Ganondorf, the great evil that has haunted Hyrule for generations. However, with the help of my husband, Link,” she motioned for him to stand with her, and he complied, holding her hand, “we defeated both Zant and Ganondorf together. On behalf of the Twilight people, I thank you for accepting us with open arms, even if my people can’t cross over into this world. Before the festivities begin, Link would like to do something special for us.”

Midna stepped back, giving Link the center of attention. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as she left, inciting small bouts of laughter from the audience.

“Hello everyone. As both Queen Midna and Queen Zelda have stated, I traveled around Hyrule to save both it and the Twilight Realm from Zant’s and Ganondorf’s control. I made several friends along the way, all of which supported me greatly. I couldn’t have finished my journey without their help, so thank you all for supporting me.” The audience cheered for a short time, Link silencing the crowd with a small wave of his hand.

“While it is important for us to celebrate Hyrule’s liberation, it is also important for us to not forget those that lost their lives to Zant’s madness. I dedicate this melody to them.”

With that, Link shifted into a wolf, receiving whispers of excitement and surprise from the crowd. Midna looked over to the nearby band and nodded, giving them the signal to start the song. Link started howling to the song, which was a beautifully somber tone that in sighted feelings of regret and loss that had been healed. It was one of the songs Link used to meet the Hero’s Shade, and it always left him a bit sad, but at peace and with a sense of familiarity, like he’d heard it before meeting his ghostly mentor. 

The audience gave a slow cheer of applause, both in admiration of Link’s howling and in respect to those lost in the Invasion. 

“Thank you, Link.” Zelda said, “You are right in acknowledging the sacrifices made during Zant’s reign. For saving both of our kingdoms, I could never thank you enough. As we move forward, I pray to the Goddesses for a healthy relationship with the Twili people. Now…”

“Let the celebration begin!” Midna and Zelda said simultaneously, Link giving one final, cheering howl to kick off the festivities before changing back into a Hylian.

People quickly gathered on the dance floor, swiftly grabbing dance partners for the coming song. It was a classic folk song in Hyrule, people dancing to it with wild movements like twirls, jumps, stomps, and claps. Midna fit in perfectly, her and Link spinning around each other more than anyone else, laughing the whole time.

As the song progressed, more and more energy could be felt throughout the whole room, even the guards started to do small dances of their own from their posts. The song ended on a strong chord, Link and Midna looking at each other lovingly as the audience applauded both them and the orchestra.

The next song was a slower piece from the Twilight Realm and gave Link an idea. He simply looked at Midna, who had a curious look in her eyes, before turning into a wolf and putting his front paws on her dress for Midna to grab. Midna laughed at Link’s humor and lifted Link’s whole body, resting him over her shoulder like a mother patting her baby’s back. Link didn’t expect this and voiced his opinion with an embarrassed growl, only receiving laughter from Midna. People saw the two unique dancers and simply laughed, admiring the heroes.

After the piece ended, another quick tempo song played, but Midna was feeling tired from the dancing and the day’s events.

“Would like to escape this with me Link? I’m kinda tired, and you owe me a private dance.” She asked softly. Link gave a soft bark of agreement. Midna put him on the ground, and the two slipped away, finding an empty balcony nearby. 

The night sky shone brightly with stars, the moon giving the world a soft, celestial glow. Link shifted back into his Hylian body, bowing to her with a hand extended.

“May I have this dance, my Queen?” He asked with a smile on his face.  
“It would be my honor to dance with you, my King.” She replied, taking his hand with a smirk.

Link put his other hand on her back, and Midna put hers on his shoulder. The song playing in the castle was still fast, but Link and Midna danced to their own song, simply stepping and swinging around the balcony, holding each other close. 

“Thank you Link.” Midna whispered.  
“For what?”  
“For believing in me and helping me, even after all the BS I gave you.”  
“Hey, don’t forget that you helped me too. You kicked me when I needed it.”  
“I love you Link.”  
“I love you too, Midna.”

They stood still and looked at each other with nothing but love in their eyes. Midna moved to Link, capturing his lips in a strong but sweet kiss. Link reciprocated, moving his hands to cup her cheeks, just like she did to him back at the Mirror of Twilight. They may be rulers and heroes for others, but to them and the night sky above, Link and Midna would always be the instinctually kind wolf and the mischievous but caring imp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it folks! Thank you so much for reading! Please tell me your thoughts in the comments! Huge thanks to @applesciderr on discord for ideas on Zelda's study and the dances performed! You're awesome! Midna's dress is mostly like Rapunzel's in the movie Tangled, with some adjustments made for the story.  
> With school starting up for me soon, my writing pace will be slowing down. I hope to be able to put out at least one story a month. Updates on my writing can be found on my tumblr, @ScribbleWriting65. See you next time!


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